Door-closure mechanism



Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,081

T. BRADY DOOR CLOSURE MECHANI SM Filed Sept. 29, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w I a r 96 W 4 g i 63* 64 66 x L M g2, Q 56 5 x5 f 20 u 43 INVENTOR mamas Brad ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1928.

T. BRADY DOOR CLOSURE MECHANISM Filed Sept. 29, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR 7770mm: Brady (WM ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS BRADY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DOOR-CLOSURE MECHANISM.

Application filed September 29. 1923. Serial No. 665,532.

This invention relates to door closures and particularly to closure mechanism adapted for use in connection with elevator hatchway doors.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide mechanism for positively opening and closing elevator hatchway doors and for cushioning the door at both exteremes of its movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character described comprising few parts and simple and compact so that the structure can be easily installed within the small space between the doors and the elevator car.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings, which form a part of this application, and in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view illustrating door structure and door operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken through one of the actuating elements of the door operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation similar to Fig. 3, but showing the other actuating element.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view taken at right angles to Fig. 3 and showing the two actuating elements connected together, and

Fig. 7 is an elevational view showing another form of the invention.

The invention briefly described comprises lever mechanism operatively connected to the door and means for actuating the lever mechanism to open and close the door. The actuating means in one term of the invention comprises a power cylinder preferably pneumatically operated for moving the door in one direction as to open position and resilient means for moving the door in the opposite direction. Means is also provided for cushinning the door at both extremes of its movement, thereby preventin slamming and pro- Vldll'lg a structure capabTe of quiet operation. Another embodiment of the invention involves the use of power actuated means for operating the lever mechanism in both directions. Further details of the invention W111 appear from the following description.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the door comprises three sections, namely, a stationary section and slidable sections 21 and 22, these two latter sections be ng adapted to move into overlapping position with the stationary section 20 when the door is opened.

The door sections may be mounted in any desired manner and are preferably mounted on rollers 23 which in turn are supported on a rall 24 disposed above the hatchway openmg. The lower ends of the door sections are preferably guided by means of downwardly extending webs 25 which are received by slots formed in a plate 26 disposed at the floor level of the hatchway opening.

Lever mechanism.

The operating means for the slid-able door sections preferably consists of lever mechanism and in the embodiment of the invention shown, this mechanism comprises a plurality of links A, B and C. The link A is adjustablv mounted in a clamp 30 pivoted at 31 to a plate 32 carried by the door section 22.

Link A is pivoted to link B at and the link B is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the door section 21. This pivotal connection is indicated at 41, the connection being made between a clamp 42 secured to the link B and a bracket 43 secured to the door section 21.

' The link B is pivotally connected at 45 to the link C and the opposite end of the link C is pivoted at 46 to a lug 47 which in turn is secured to an angle iron 48 mounted in the hatchway.

A handle 49 is secured to the free end of the link B to facilitate the initial release of the lever mechanism when the door is opened.

The position of the links when the door is opened is indicated by dotted lines in. Fig. 1

and from the showing it will be seen that when the lever mechanism is actuated either manually or by power, the link B will assume the position shown at 13 thereby moving the door section 21 into overlapping relation with' respect to the door section 20 and the link B also through its pivotal connection 40 to the link A will move the door section 22 into overlapping position with respect to the door sections 20 and 21.

It has been found desirable to provide means whereby-the elevator car circuit is opened when the hatchway doors are opened and is closed permitting the operation of the car only when the doors are closed. This may be accomplished by means of a link pivoted at 51 to an extension 52 of the link C and connected at its upper end to a bar 53 which in turn has secured thereto a blade 54 of a knife switch. This blade completes the circuit through switch contacts 55' when the switch is closed and when the link C is in door closing position. The blade is, however, swung upwardly away from the contacts when the door is open.

Lever operating mechanism.

In the present invention, means is provided for positively actuating the lever mechanism in both directions, namely, to door opening and door closing positions. This operating mechanism will now be described. Referring, first, to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the lever mechanism is moved to door opening position by means of a pneumatic power cylinder and is moved to door closing position by resiliently actuated means in the following manner.

A. threaded rod is pivot-ally connected at 61 to the extension 52 of the link C. This rod 60 has secured thereto a yoke 62 to the opposite end of which is adjustably secured at 63 a piston rod 64 which extends downwardly through a bushing 65 into a pneumatic cylin der 66. The head of the piston is formed by a plurality of collars 67 threaded onto the lower end of the rod or secured thereon between nuts 68. Bell-shaped flexible packing members 69 are mounted on the collar 67 and prevent leakage around the piston head.

The cylinder 66 has formed on its lower end a lug 70, which is pivoted at 71 to a bracket- 72 secured to the angle iron 48.

The power for operating the piston is admitted through a conduit 73 and a flexible tube 74, this power being furnished preferably by compressed air and the admission of the air being controlled by a three-way valve 75.

In order to prevent hissing of the air when the outlet port of the valve is opened a muffler 7 5 is connected to the outlet port of the valve casing by a conduit 7 6".

A ball check valve 76 is mounted in the cylinder head 77 and closes the port 78 when to open the door, air is admitted to the bottom of the cylinder 66 and forces the piston and piston rod 64 upwardly. The upward movement of the piston is unobstructed until the piston head reaches the position in which it overlaps and closes a plurality of air vents 80 formed in the wall of the cylinder 66 slightly below the upper end of the cylinder. When the piston head closes thesevents, further exit of the air from the cylinder is controlled by a needle valve 81 which can be adjusted to control the size of the outlet through an outlet port 82 formed in the cylinder head. This construction just described effectively cushions the final movement of the door to open position.

The operation of the lever mechanism to move the door to closed position is effected by means of the following mechanism. As shown particularly in Fig. 3, the rod 60 has adjustably threaded thereon adjacent its upper end a sleeve 90 which extends down into a cylinder casing 91 and has secured adjacent its lower end a disk 92. To facilitate the assembling of the sleeve 90 in the yoke head 83, the head is recessed as shown at 84 (Fig.

4) and a plug 85 is secured to the head 83 by screws 86. The rod 60 extends downwardly through the sleeve and into a cylinder 93 and the lower end of the cylinder is closed by a plug 94, which is pivoted at 95 to a lug 96 secured to the angle iron 48.

The cylinder 93 is enlarged as shown at 97 and forms a base for receiving the lower end of the casing 91. This enlarged portion 97 has secured thereto as shown at 98 the lower end of a spring 99, the upper end of the spring being secured to the disk 92.

As the rod 60 is moved upwardly by the admission of air to the cylinder 66 and through the connecting yoke 62, the sleeve 90, which is threaded to the rod, will also be moved upwardly in the casing 91 thereby stretching or placing the spring 99 under tension since the lower end of this spring is held stationary with the cylinder 93.

A piston 100 is secured to the lower end of the rod 60 and has formed therein a conduit 101 controlled by a ball check valve 102. This conduit is unobstructed when the piston is moved upwardly but is closed by the ball when the piston is moved downwardly.

The cylinders 93 contains a suitable fluid, such as oil 103, which is admitted through an inlet Opening 104 closed by a plug 105, and this oil passes freely downwardly through the piston 100 when the piston moves upwardly. However, when the piston approachesthe end of its downward movement and en ages the oil, the oil is trapped below the piston and can pass around the piston only through a. conduit 106 and a port 107 which leads from the conduit into the cylinder. The passage of the oil through the port 107 is adjustably controlled by a needle valve 108.

The construction just described provides for cushioning the closing movement of the door, thereby preventing noise and slamming of-the door.

The upper end of the cylinder 93 is closed by a plug 109 having a pocket 110 therein for receiving and trapping any oil that tends to be drawn upwardly by the piston rod.

The speed of operation of the closing of the door can be controlled by adjusting the sleeve 90 on the rod 60, a corresponding adjustment being made at the lower end of the yoke 62 by means of the adjusting nuts 63.

Operation.

The door operating mechanism or lever operating mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inelusive functions in the foliowing manner. \Vhen air is admitted it" the cylinder 66, the rod 64, yoke 62 and rod 60 are forced upward.- ly, thereby swinging the link C and links B and A to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 and moving the door sections 21 and 22 to open position. This opening movement is cushioned by the trapping of the air in the cylinder 66 above the air vents 80, this cushioning action being controlled by the needle valve 81. During this door opening movement, the upward movement of the rod 60 will also move the sleeve 90 upwardly, thereby placing the spring 99 under tension and storing up energy for closing the door. When the door is to be closed, the three-way valve is moved to a position to open the conduits 73 and 74 to the atmosphere, thereby permitting a free downward movement of the piston in the cylinder 66. The spring 99 will then actuate the lever mechanism in a direction to close the door and the final closing movement will be cushioned by the trapping of the oil or other fluid 103 in the lower end of the cylinder 93, this cushioning movement being controlled by the needle valve 108. By means of the adjusting nuts 63, the speed of operation of the mechanism just described can be easily and readily controlled. If desired, or where air is not available for operating the power cylinder 66, the door can be opened manually and upon release will close automatically.

Furthermore, to permit opening of the door in case of emergency, from the floor level, the panel A has an opening 33 therethrough to allow the insertion of a tool to engage link A and break the toggle lock.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 7. In this embodiment, the link (l of the lever mechanism has an offset end portion 125 which is pivoted at 126 to a pair of yokes 127. The link C is pivoted as in the former embodiment of the invention at 128 to a bracket 129 secured to the angle iron 130 .mounted in the elevator hatchway.

The yokes 127 are adjustably connected it their opposite ends to piston rods 131 and 141 which in turn are mounted in cylinders 132 and 142. These cylinders are pivoted at 133 and 143 to brackets 134 and 144 mounted on the angle iron 130. The cylinders 132 and 142 are preferably pneumatic cylitrders of a construction similar to that illustra #(l in Fig. 5 and air is admitted to the cylinde. through flexible conduits 136 and 146 which in turn are connected to conduits 137 an? 1 :7. The

conduits 137 and 147 are connectci a fourway valve 148, the vate casing iving an inlet conduit 149 and an outlet per; 350 open to the atmosphere. The valve 148 i n be adjusted so that either one of the c; ndcrs is recei Lng compressed ai' awhile the other cylind r is open to the osphere. For in-- st. .106, with the valve p honed shown in Fi 1'. 7, compressed air is being admitted tln 'iugh conduits 147 and 146 to the cylinder 142 0 move the link C to the position shown in full nes in which the door is closed. lVhcn the valve 148 is rotated through degrees in a clockwise direction, compressed air will be admitted to the cylinder 132 and the cylinder 142 will be opened to the atmosphere. Therefore, by the simple manipulation of the fourway valve, the opening and closing of the door can be readily controlled. A link 151 similar to the link 50 shown in Fig. 1 may be provided for opening the elevator control switch when the door is opened and for closing the switch when the door is closed. A mufiler similar to that shown in Fig. 5 can be connected to the valve easing port 150.

From the foregoing specification it will be seen that simple, practical and compact mechanism has been designed for operating door closure mechanism and that the structure described can be easily installed and readily adjusted to operate in the most eflicient manner.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. Door .closure mechanism comprising lever mechanism, a rod pivoted thereto, a yoke connected to said rod, a power cylinder having a piston connected to said yoke for actuating said yoke and rod in one direction and resilient means operatively connected to said rod for actuating the rod in the opposite direction.

2. Door closure mechanism comprising lever mechanism, a rod pivoted thereto, a yoke connected to said rod, a power cylinder having a piston connected to said yoke for actuating said yoke and rod in one direction and resilient means mounted within said oke and operatively connected to said rod or actuating the rod in the opposite direction.

3. Door closure mechanism comprising lever mechanism, a rod pivoted thereto, a yoke connected to said rod, a power cylinder having a piston connected to said yoke for actuating said yoke and rod in one direction, and resilient means disposed substantially in alinement with said power cylinder and within said yoke for actuating said yoke and rod in the opposite direction.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of September, 1923.

THOMAS BRADY. 

